Preservers

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Preservers


Four Letter Code	PRES
Federation Status	N/A
Planet of Origin	Unknown
Encountered	TOS: The Paradise Syndrome
T/E Rating	T0/E0
Current Tech Level	W
List of Named Preserverss

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REV 239204.17

DEPARTMENT of XENOLOGY

"We have seeded the galaxy in hopes that our memory will last."

a Preservers proverb.

The Preservers were a highly-advanced ancient race of aliens known to have existed within the galaxy. They were known for visiting planets and rescuing primitive cultures in danger of extinction, and seeding them on other worlds where they could be allowed to grow and thrive. Their activities accounted for the large number of humanoid species in the galaxy.

There is even some evidence that may prove that they are also the species known as the Progenitors.

Home System

Quadrant: Unknown
Location: Unknown
Proper Name: Unknown
Star: Unknown
Distance from Star: Unknown
Companions: Unknown
Moons: Unknown

Home World

Proper Name: Unknown
Diameter: Unknown
Gravity: Unknown
Axial Tilt: Unknown
Orbital Period: Unknown
Rotational Period: Unknown
Classification: Unknown
- Surface Water: Unknown
- Atmosphere: Unknown
- Climate: Unknown
- Terrain: Unknown
- Population: Unknown

History

The Preservers were a largely unknown civilization, having lived millions of years ago. It was known that they lived in the Rimward end of the Orion Arm, and they were believed to have seeded worlds on all sides of the Arm with humanoid life. As the historical record of earlier times indicates that the humanoid form was never as common as it was after the Preservers, it was supposed that they were laying the groundwork for humanoid mastery of that area of space.

It has been theorized that the Preservers were preceded by the "seeders", the group that placed humanoid life throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. Furthermore, the collective history of their society was stated to have spanned in excess of 2 billion years and thus made them one of the oldest corporeal species in the galaxy.

The Preservers were thought to be active between 38,000 BC (reference stardate -400/00) to 18,000 BC (stardate -200/00). The period was known as the Preserver Era, and was a relatively quiet period of galactic history, with only a handful of technologically advanced civilizations around, most planet-bound. If the Preservers had a significant empire, then it met with no opposition.

At some point, the Preservers were known to have placed the Aegis that surrounded the galaxy in order to protect it from an unknown outside threat. To accomplish this feat, they created a number of outposts around the galaxy which were responsible for maintaining the barrier. Such outposts included one at Loken 5 which were not intended to last forever but to a time when the younger races had evolved to the point where they could defend themselves against these threats.

Amongst the many races that developed afterwards, some were considered to be the children of the Preservers. These included the Organians and the Metron civilizations. As both races evolved into incorporeal beings, they became part of a number of elder races that were bound by the legacy of the Preservers which included a directive that prevented the interference in the development of the developing races.

Afterwards, it was known that the Preservers left the galaxy for parts unknown and left their various outposts abandoned which ran on automated systems. In the aftermath, the elder races continued their duty entrusted to them by the Preservers with the mandate to allow the younger species to evolve naturally. This was because the Preservers desired that all their children grow and evolve by their own accomplishments.

Over the course of tens of thousands of years, the various outposts of the Preservers that maintained the Aegis around the galaxy began to weaken as the equipment responsible for it began to fail. However, the Organians continued the duty charged to them of ensuring that the Preservers legacy was not abused.

It was known that one of the species that the Preservers took a special interest in was the Edosian race who had a special destiny placed upon them that was necessary for the galaxy in future years. As a result, Preserver outposts were instructed to transport any Edosian to their location for an unknown reason.

Around 38,000 BC (stardate -400/00), the Preservers were known to have visited the Rigel system in order to trade, like thousands of races before and after them. They started small and increased to a flood of ships, after which they faded away.

The Preservers disappeared around 18,000 BC (stardate -200/00). By apparent coincidence, the Orions were discovered on Rigel VIII 2,000 years later, though it was previously thought to be uninhabited. Ancient Orion legends and lost records theorized that they were placed on the planet by aliens, suggesting that they were also a product of Preserver relocation.

In 2188, the USS Argonaut made contact with the planet Capella IV and learned more of the society's history from the story in Lay of the Mountaintops which spoke of gods that placed the Capellans on their world. This led to speculation that the Preservers or perhaps Sargon's people were responsible for seeding Capella IV with life.

In 2266, a month after the Romulans were visually identified as resembling Vulcans, the Vulcan Science Academy issued a theory postulating the Preservers as responsible for the two races' shared heritage.

In addition, around this same time at a previously unexplored world, scientists from the Romulan Star Empire uncovered a series of ruins that belonged to the Preservers as well as a Stone that contained inscriptions to an unknown chemical formula.

Among the cultures rescued by the Preservers were several Native American tribes from Earth, who were transplanted to a planet nearly half-a-galaxy away. They also terraformed the planet so as to replicate an Earth-like environment, reproducing a large number of flora and fauna as well. As the planet was located in close proximity to a number of asteroids, the Preservers, whom the Native Americans referred to as "the Wise Ones," placed a large, obelisk-like asteroid deflector on the surface, and instructed the appointed medicine chief in its operation.

In 2268, the USS Enterprise visited the planet, and discovered the transplanted Native Americans. While there, Captain Kirk accidentally gained access to the obelisk, and was exposed to a memory beam inside, resulting in amnesia.

Meanwhile, the Enterprise crew worked to repair the deflector, as a large asteroid was in danger of striking the planet and wiping out the inhabitants. Successfully deciphering the Preserver language, which was apparently based on musical scales, Commander Spock was able to both repair the deflector and restore Captain Kirk's memory via mind meld.

By the 23rd century, there was evidence of Preserver ruins on the planet Altair.

In 2370, Julian Bashir commented that two humanoids that emerged from the Bajoran wormhole and came aboard Deep Space 9 could be Preservers.

In the 2370s, there were a number of recorded encounters with constructed duplicates of important worlds which was presumably a part of the species preservation efforts. Starfleet managed to uncover at least three duplicate Earths, four duplicate Qo'noSs, two of the planet Vulcan and one duplicate Andor. These worlds were kept highly classified by Starfleet for fear of the panic it would create to members of the United Federation of Planets.

In 2376, Julian Bashir theorized that the Preservers, as well as the Founders, could have been responsible for the genetic changes to the Yrythny.

Late in that same year, a Preserver device used to shrink a planet and save it from its primary's supernova was recovered by the USS da Vinci along with Araneus, the member of the planet's race entrusted with keeping it safe. Araneus reported that the individual from which they received the pyramid-shaped device resembled a member of their own race, the arachnid-like Koas, though this could merely have been an illusion in order to better blend in on their planet. He also reported their people had made a vow to the Koas six million years ago, and though the Preservers were almost gone in the present time, they still upheld their vow through saving their planet from destruction.

The planet was successfully expanded with the help of Bart Faulwell, the USS da Vinci's linguist. The pyramid shaped device proceeded to reshape the entire star system as well, moving a number of gas giants into more stable orbits that would not negatively impact the Koa homeworld, quite blatantly demonstrating the level of their engineering achievements.

Government

At this time nothing is known about this aspect of their civilization. No records or data has been discovered to shed any light on this subject.

Description

It is believed that they are the same species as the Progenitors. If this is true then they are humanoids with pale skin, no body hair and deep sunk eyes.

Physiology

As with most intelligent humanoid species they have a very complex system with specialized organs, and unique hormones, chemicals and enzymes. They are typical humanoids with most of the physical, mental and biological medical problems that seem to plague most humanoids.

The Preservers coded themselves with genetic memory, storing the memories of their entire race into their DNA. Each Preserver, therefore, remembers the entire history of their species.

Psychology

Based on the data available it would seem that they were a passive species with a great love of both the arts and science. They achieved incredible feats through their mastery of science and worked hard to preserve not only their own memory as a people but the various other, younger species around them.

Religion

At this time nothing is known about this aspect of their civilization. No records or data has been discovered to shed any light on this subject.

Mythology

At this time nothing is known about this aspect of their civilization. No records or data has been discovered to shed any light on this subject.

Society

At this time nothing is known about this aspect of their civilization. No records or data has been discovered to shed any light on this subject.

Culture

At this time nothing is known about this aspect of their civilization. No records or data has been discovered to shed any light on this subject.

Customs

At this time nothing is known about this aspect of their civilization. No records or data has been discovered to shed any light on this subject.

Technology

Incredibly, a few of their works have survived and were still functional despite their great age. All of the evidence seems to indicate that this was an apparently intended feature of the device and it was designed and constructed with this in mind. The ability to do so further indicates just how advanced they were technologically.

Obelisk

The Preservers obelisk was a statue-like structure left by the Preservers on Amerind. It consisted of two parts, a base just under two meters in height, and a larger metallic fixture approximately 7.4 meters in height. Constructed of a material opaque to sensors, it resisted analysis. Its surface was partially covered by glyphs.

In 2268, Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise inadvertently hit on the tonal combination that opened the access hatch atop the base. As he was standing on the hatch at the time, this pitched him down the stairs into the base. Stunned, he attempted to regain his footing but succeeded only in incorrectly triggering a memory beam designed to instruct a user in the operation of the machinery contained within the obelisk - a powerful asteroid deflector. This robbed him of his memory. Because no other member of the landing party saw this accident or could discover their captain's whereabouts, they were forced to leave him on Amerind for several months while the Enterprise attempted to divert an asteroid on a collision course with Amerind.

Spock eventually discovered how to interpret the alien language, and learned the purpose of the structure. Returning to Amerind, he was able to restore Kirk's memories and between them, they discovered how to operate the deflector and save the people of Amerind. During his stay there, Kirk learned that the Preservers, whom the natives called "Wise Ones", left the secret of operating the deflector with one member of the tribe, the medicine man. In 2268, a man named Salish held that office. Salish's father did not wish to share his knowledge too soon, ultimately dying before he did, so Salish could not save his people.

The deflector mechanism was considerably more powerful than the deflection beams the Enterprise could generate with full engine power. It easily pushed the asteroid away with just a few seconds of contact.

Economy

At this time nothing is known about this aspect of their civilization. No records or data has been discovered to shed any light on this subject.

Military

At this time nothing is known about this aspect of their civilization. No records or data has been discovered to shed any light on this subject.

Federation Intelligence Files

One of the first recorded actions was the transplantation of several Native American Indian tribes from Earth.

It was also theorized that the Preservers also seeded 892-IV, or Magna Roma with Earth Romans, who established a parallel Roman Empire which lasted at least 20 centuries.

Despite these suspected involvements with the Preservers, there was very little evidence of their true identities although a Preserver space buoy was analyzed at Starbase 25 in the 23rd century.

Mirror Universe

By the year 2378, there were many critics and proponents on the matter of whether the Preservers were real or not. However, it was discovered that the Preservers were responsible for placing one of their obelisks at a secret base used by the First Federation in order to prevent it from falling into the hands of Emperor Tiberius Kirk.

They were also involved in deploying a much larger obelisk around the Mirror Universe counterpart of Halkan and attempted to destroy the Mirror Universe by channeling a massive amount of energy into the alternate reality but these actions were stopped by James T. Kirk.

Controversy

There was much controversy over the existence and actions of the Preservers. Critics of the theory argued that the preservation efforts that were documented were similar to the colonization as well as the spread of many space-going civilizations. They believed that the myth of the Preservers were actually the efforts and accomplishments of dozens of unrelated extinct cultures. These critics thus did not believe that all their actions were attributable to a single all-encompassing civilization.

Proponents, however, pointed out the existence of the Preserver obelisks as proof that a single culture was responsible for the seeding of various planets in the galaxy with intelligent humanoids. However critics were quick to point out that other races may have duplicated the construction of the obelisk and that they served as a universal cultural talisman for the efforts made in preservation.

Those who practiced Psychohistory believed that the Preservers were a guiding force in the development of the Federation. In fact, they were believed to be directly responsible for influencing events as diverse as first contact between Humanity and the Vulcans, as well as the assignment of James T. Kirk as captain of the USS Enterprise. To the psycho historians, the Preservers were responsible for choosing to place such individuals in command positions in order for them to serve unwittingly as their agents.

The Preserver hoax was a scandalous incident in the 23rd century in which three non-related but friendly Orion families sold counterfeit Preserver artifacts and documents to gullible Federation historians. They made a small fortune, while several reputations were shattered.

The Progenitors were responsible for creating the Galactic barrier in order to protect the younger races from the Totality. This could potentially mean that the Progenitors and the Preservers are the same species though this is speculation.

It is possible that the Anu'anshee species may also have been in reality the Preservers. If not then there is a strong possibility that they were either decedents of their survivors or connected to them in some other way.

Sources

Both Memory Alpha and Memory Beta were used as references as well as the following TV episodes, TOS: The Paradise Syndrome, TOS: Bread and Circuses and the TNG: The Chase.

Also used were the following novels, TOS: Preserver, TOS: Ex Machina, TOS: Dark Victory, DS9: This Gray Spirit and the SCE eBook: Small World.

Finally the following references were also used, The Star Trek Online missions of Cold Call and Cold Storage. Also used were the FASA RPG module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge, FASA RPG module: Graduation Exercise, FASA RPG module: Star Trek IV Sourcebook Update, FASA RPG module: The Federation, Last Unicorn RPG module: All Our Yesterdays: The Time Travel Sourcebook, Decipher RPG module: Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion 2nd ed., p. 244, TOS reference: Who's Who in Star Trek, Issue 2, TOS comic: The Enterprise Experiment, Part 5, DS9 comic: Descendants and the Star Trek: Federation proposal.

Content from this article may have
come partially, or entirely from
Memory Alpha


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